Improvement in step-ladders



` E. M. NORTON.

Improvement in Step Laddersl No 123,287, Patentedlan.30,l872.

EMILY M. NORTON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. g

IMPROVEMENT IN STEP-LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,287, dated January30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILY M. NORTON, of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairfield and State ot' Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inStep-Ladders; and I do hereby declare the tbllowing, when taken inconnection withthe accom pan yin g dra-win g an d the letters ot'reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ot'the same, and which said drawing constitutes apart of thisspecilication, and represents, in

Figure 1, a side view; Fig. 2, a sectionalview cutting' through line 1L'x, looking down; and in Fig. 3, a vertical section.

This invention rela-tes to :in improvement in that class ot' ladderscommonly termed stepladders 5 the object being' to add to the steps someconveniences not heretofore existin g; and it consists in a board topdivided into three parts, one of which folds down, and, when up, issupported by swinging' brackets beneath, another rising' to open a boxconstructed beneath the step as a receptacle for implements.

A is the ladder, ot' common construction, eX- cept at the upper end itis thrown back, as at B, and to this part the swinging braces C arehinged to spread and support the ladder in the usual manner. Between thesides, at the top, a box, I), is constructed, and on the top astationary piece, E, is xed, and to this a cover, F, for the box ishinged, as seen in Fig. 3, and

upon the back side ot' the fixed piece E an eX- tension, G, is hinged,to fold down, as in Fig. 1, or up to extend, as in Fig. 3. Beneath thefixed piece E are hinged two swinging brackets, H H, which, when notrequired for use, fold back beneath the fixed piece E, as denoted inbroken lines, Fig. 2.

When the extension Gis required for use, raise the said partG and turnthe brackets out, as denoted in Figs. 2 and 3. The broad shelf at thetop, when not required for use, folds in such a manner as to be out ofthe way, and adds to the step a great convenience in many cases when aperson necessarily requires severa-l articles for use, the box I)forming a receptacle for many such articles, and which, were it not forthe extension Gr, would be ot little use, because the broad top isrequired to lay articles thereon, which, without the extension, would bereduced by the width of the opening cover.

I claim as my invention- In a step-ladder, consisting' of the ladderAwith its extended top B and support C, the box D, tixed top E, swinging'cover F, and hinged part G supported by the swinging brackets H H,substantially as set forth.

EMILY M. NORTON.

Witnesses:

DWIGHT MORRIS, GRACE I. Monms.

